‘Dallas’s’ Ratings Dip, But It’s Not All Bad News

It’s a good news/bad news week where “Dallas’s” ratings are concerned.

First, the bad news: The TNT drama’s latest episode, “Boxed In,” debuted to 1.86 million viewers on September 15, according to Nielsen. The numbers are down 3.9 percent from the previous week, when “Victims of Love” debuted to 1.93 million viewers.

In the advertiser-prized category of adults between ages 18 and 49, “Boxed In” drew 540,000 viewers — essentially the same number “Victims of Love” grabbed a week ago.

As TNT presumably moves closer toward deciding the show’s future, this isn’t the direction fans were hoping to see the numbers go, is it?

On the other hand, the news isn’t altogether discouraging: When you count DVR users who recorded “Victims of Love” and watched it within three days of its debut, the episode’s audience climbed to 2.8 million viewers, up 3 percent from the boost the Labor Day episode, “Hurt,” received through DVR playback.

“Dallas” also got a boost last week on social media, where the series cracked a weekly ranking of television’s buzziest shows.

Overall, “Dallas” is averaging approximately 1.96 million viewers on Mondays this year — down about a quarter among total viewers and roughly 40 percent among the 18-to-49-year-old crowd.

This places the show toward the bottom of the pack in TNT’s lineup. The network’s most popular show remains “Rizzoli & Isles,” which averaged 5.24 million viewers on Tuesdays this year, while the lowest-rated shows are the Wednesday entries “Legends” (1.85 million viewers) and “Franklin & Bash” (1.25 million viewers).

Among 18-to-49-year-olds, “Dallas” outranks “Legends” and “Franklin & Bash,” as well as TNT’s freshmen legal drama “Murder in the First,” which the network renewed last week.

“Dallas” will conclude its season with two episodes, “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” on Monday, September 22 — when NBC’s “The Voice” and “The Blacklist” will open their new season.

TNT is touting the death of one of the Ewings during next week’s season finale and encouraging fans to offer their theories on social media using the hashtag #WhichEwingDies.

What do you think of “Dallas’s” latest ratings? Share your comments below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.

I’m just watching out of habit now. I just hope that if TNT decided not to renew it for another season that at least they’ll great 2 more hours so they can do a separate TV movie to wrap up all storylines.

What is the deal with this habit of ending the season with two episodes that really aren’t a two parter? (Same as season 2?)
To date we’ve yet to have much of a cliffhanger between seasons. This season’s mid-season cliffhanger was really the first TNT cliffhanger in my eyes. With that in mind I really don’t expect many loose ends come Tuesday morning. About the only thing left over will be the Elena paternity thing and that isn’t something that can be properly wrapped up in a two hour made for TV movie. It just wouldn’t feel like Dallas to cram something like that into that type of format nor would that storyline be strong enough to carry a TV movie on its own.
I have to be negative Dan in WI again and agree with Garnet and JR LeMar. I’ve pretty much prepared myself for what I see as the inevitable. Truth be told while I’ll miss Bobby, Sue Ellen, John Ross and Bum I’m really not going to miss the show. I too watch mostly out of habit and loyalty. Now I do find myself occasionally engaged. But the fact that I am surprised when I do enjoy an episode tells me all I need to know about the show.
I would agree with those who say the show needs new leadership but in reality I think if the best team in the world which respects all Dallas continuity, feel/texture and lore it will be too little too late. Given TNT’s lackluster promotion I’m not sure enough people would notice the leadership change to save the ratings.
End of the day I still believe that a show with half its season 1 viewership hear the bottom fo the TNT ratings pile + new incoming program director = canceled. The most devoted of the 1.8ish million remaining fans (2.8ish million DVR+3) can make all the emotional arguments they want in favor of renewal. But It’s a business decision and all hoping and wishing aside, business wins more times than not in this department.

I don’t want it to end I want a season 4 and the Ewing to die should be no one or if it happens let who ever it is to make a surprise comeback, I have watched Dallas since the first episode in the 70’s huge fan.

I am not surprised about the ratings dip, although I am a long-time fan and faithful watcher in the sought-after demographic.

My thoughts:

1. Split season loses viewers. The “season” halves are super short, and it disrupts viewing habits.

2. TNT’s poor marketing of Dallas. Their promotion of the show is not engaging and doesn’t generate excitement.

3. Three is for threesome. Say what you will, but that cheap storyline gimmick for “shock value” and “buzz” turned off many viewers. It didn’t make sense for any of the three characters involved and it was beyond absurd and contrived.

4. Cidre…she is relentless in her foisting of the Ramos family, the telenovela approach, and turning Dallas into a dead body crime drama. Viewers want more Ewings and character interactions with heart and meaning. Cynthia Cidre’s formula is not working. The show needs a writing, casting and production overhaul immediately.

5. AnnaLynne McCord as Heather was a cardboard plot device character. No way to invest in her as a viewer. She did not bring the 90210 audience. Budget and casting fail.

I could go on and on. We need a season 4 under new leadership and a new writing team.

i want a “s17” s4 it just like the original with more twist and turns and more of the modern day and age charisma. i own all the original series and movies my whole family loves dallas. john ross needs to get more like jr though.

I have been a Dallas fan for many years and was thrilled it has returned! I know ratings help keep shows but what about the 1.8 million viewers who watch and love the show? Don’t we count? I was not a fan of the threesome episode but continued to watch anyway! Hoping those who decide on renewing will consider the viewers even though we are a small number to them and keep Dallas!

Not sure about the strategy of holding the second half of the season so that it would have to go up against so many other season debuts, like Dancing With the Stars this week. I watch Dallas live and DVR it too, just in case. I really hope they get renewed for another season, but I don’t know what ‘number’ of viewers in considered good. I just know I look forward to it every week. I can’t name another show that I look forward to anymore.

I really enjoy watching the show. I watched the original series and was thrilled when they brought the series back. The show is really starting to get interesting so I do hope that they continue the series and do not cancel it.

TNT is to blame for most of Dallas falling ratings. Merry go round time slot and season premieres, half season hiatus, up against Monday night football!? TNT is famous for moving their shows around until they fail in the ratings.

I have got to have a fourth season on Dallas, there is not other show with so much dialogue in such a short season, you cannot miss one episode or you will miss a lot of plot switches. I love this show and there is no way I am done I need more please TNT give Dallas show more chances because so many of us fans need it!!!!!!!

Again the network missies the point .. Why not count the viewers over 49, they are the group who are really into the show and were fans of the original Dallas. As far as sponsors this group has money to spend not folks in there early twenties…Wake up and realize the Baby Boomers are taking over and they are the audience you want to please.

If they could get Victoria Principal back and fill a whole season then Dallas would be great like the 70’s and 80’s. Lol some people didn’t like the 3some! Hey!!!!! Wake up. J.R. screwed every woman he saw. Lucy was usually braless for the most part and Pammy always had cleavage and stiff nipples.SEX was on track for Dallas….. Jordana Brewster is dull she needs to go. The cartel angle is too predictable. I’m sure Ann will die. Looking back at Bobby and Pammy……. Since Victoria Principal will not come back. Get Bobby involved with the McCay woman. That will really get Old Time “DALLAS ” Conflicts started. Ray and Lucy should be back too! We ALL MISS J.R….. So let’s see more Jock Miss Ellie and J.R. pictures on the wall. DALLAS deserves better from TNT and the writers. Remember the good ole days Patrick Duffy and Larry Hagman Directed most of them. Back to the 3some. In the 70’s and 80’s it was far more sex fueled DALLAS then that 3some was a joke. I love Dallas. I’m a Texan and the 70’s and 80’s era of the show was accurate to the way Texans are. I worked for a very wealthy Texas family for years. They had fueds within the family and business too. Lorimar Productions NAILED EVERYTHING PERFECT.!!!

I love dallas, best show ever, TNT would have to be nuts, to not renew, as for the writing, it sure isn’t like the ole days, I say, time to bring back good JR planmanship! As far as who goes, get rid of Ann or Elena, not any real Ewing or the base will be mad, If TNT can’t hold this up, then ask another station to pick it up, after all, with Hagman;s loss it had to take time to re-build, and MONDAY sucks, REPEAT #RENEWDALLSTNT.

Elena has ran out of a place on the show anyway. Bobby doesn’t seem to fit with Ann. Christopher is kinda just there not much of am impact in the show…… But remember? He is a True Ewing by blood it being J.R.’s blood

Did you know that if you miss an episode you can see it again on TNT at 4 A.M.,PST Saturdays as well as both 6 and 8 P.M. on Mondays. I have my T.V. timer to all three and watch all. I am 68 and never missed any episodes of this Dallas or the original show. When they were not renewed back then, I felt like there was nothing else to watch for a long time, but there was and I got over it. When they announced the new Dallas, I was over joyed, because I have very few shows I watch now. Most of them are terrible. I like C.S.I., The tonight show (Fallon’s a doll), Law and order (all of them over and over), Criminal Minds (Ditto), House, same, N.C.I.S., Forensic Files,Cold Case, the 11 P.M. news (KSBY) and Smallville. Those and the 3 Dallases are all I watch. To me. all the rest is garbage.

TV is terrible now days. This TV reality is all that’s on now and it is Junk. Like you CSI …Law and Order…. and NCIS is about it for me. Unless AMC has John Wayne on Saturday. I also like Hell on Wheels to. I think it neat Larry Hagman was born in FT.Worth. He was truley in his own element with DALLAS.

The fact that so many more people than usual are posting here gives me some hope for a ratings boost next week. Maybe that is short-sighted logic, but in theory it means a lot more folks out there are excited about the finale suddenly. I didn’t personally like the latest episode all that much, but hopefully I’m in the minority because I do want the show to go on, for better or worse, til TNT do us part!

I suspect they will not cancel the show. They may renew for one season and hopefully have the respect for “Dallas” and let them know that it will be the final season. If they want to stick with the show because they believe in it, just as the City of Dallas does, just as its sponsors do, and just as the loyal fans do, they should make the wise choice to renew for two seasons. Also, quit playing games with the schedule, pick a horse and ride it!

It’s called showing a sense of loyalty to something which formerly provided a great amount of joy and holding out faint hope it might get back to where you remember it.
It’s called even though you currently feel it is sub-par, realizing that this is the only place to see Bobby and Sue Ellen good or bad. Once this is gone those characters will never be seen again. So again you watch out of habit and wish.

Surely everyone has experience this feeling about something somewhere along the line.

I THINK ITS A GREAT SHOW,THE BEST ON TV.I THINK THE FANS DESERVE A SEASON 4,NOT FAIR TO LEAVE US HANGING,THE RATINGS ARE AS GOOD AND BETTRE THAN SOME OTHER SHOWS,BUT DALLAS HAS BEEN HOLDING THIER OWN,SO PLEASE TNT GIVE WE FANS ANOTHER SEASON, THANK YOU.